Start with a free discovery meeting
A 45-minute meeting with Joel Miller, CFP®. No documents to gather, and no pressure to move forward. If you live outside Minnesota, mention your state when you book so we can confirm we can serve you there.
Serving clients nationwide, virtually
A virtual financial advisor for households anywhere in the U.S.
Flames Financial Planning is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota and works with households by video, nationwide where permitted. The same dedicated advisor, the same published pricing and no percentage-of-assets fee, wherever you live.
Nationwide, virtualVideo meetings and secure document sharing, where permitted.
$900 to $1,650/qtrFlat quarterly memberships, published before you book.
0% AUMThe fee is not a percentage of your portfolio.
Minnetonka-basedA Minnesota firm. City pages describe service areas, not offices.
Direct answer
Can a Virtual Financial Advisor Serve You Nationwide?
A virtual financial advisor works with you by video, phone, and secure document sharing instead of in a local office. Flames Financial Planning is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and serves clients nationwide, virtually, where permitted. Virtual planning may suit households whose decisions are mostly documents and conversation, though some people prefer to meet in person.
Before hiring any advisor, in any format, look up the firm and the individual on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site. It shows registration, fee disclosures and any disciplinary history.
How it works
What Virtual Planning Looks Like at Flames FP
Four steps, none of which require a trip to an office.
Schedule a Discovery Meeting
Organize your picture in the Financial Dashboard
Net worth, cash flow, goals, debt, insurance and estate documents in one place. The dashboard is free to use before you decide whether to hire an advisor.
Choose a membership
Flames Planning is $900 per quarter and Flames Premier is $1,650 per quarter, billed quarterly in advance with no annual commitment, no setup fee and no fee on assets.
Keep planning together over time
Planning conversations, plan updates and tax coordination continue remotely. Premier adds eligible tax-return preparation and filing through an independent tax partner, for members who join by September 30 of the tax year.
Side by side
Virtual and In-Person Advisors Compared
Neither format is better for everyone. The right column describes when each tends to fit.
| Topic | Virtual advisor | In-person advisor | Best fit when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meetings | Video or phone, scheduled around work and travel. | Office visits, usually within driving distance. | Virtual may fit when schedules or distance make visits hard. In person may fit when you prefer face-to-face conversation. |
| Documents | Shared securely online, with paper handled by mail or scan. | Often handed over in the meeting. | Virtual may fit when you are comfortable sharing documents online. In person may fit when you prefer to hand over paper. |
| Choice of advisors | Not limited by city, so firms can be compared on fee model, scope and credentials. | Limited to advisors near you. | Virtual may fit when you want to compare fee models widely. In person may fit when a local presence is a priority. |
| Local knowledge | State rules come from the advisor's research and the state's published guidance. Local attorneys and accountants are coordinated separately. | May know local professionals and the community directly. | Virtual may fit when your needs are mostly tax, investment and retirement planning. In person may fit when a local network matters most. |
| Registration | The firm and advisor must be registered, or exempt, where you live. Verify it yourself. | The same requirement applies. | Either format. Check the SEC's public disclosure record before you hire. |
| Cost | Set by the firm's fee model and what is included, not by the meeting format. | The same: set by the fee model and scope. | Either format. Compare the total cost in dollars and what each fee includes. |
| Technology | Needs a reliable connection and some comfort with video. | Little technology needed beyond email and phone. | Virtual may fit when you already work and bank online. In person may fit when you prefer minimal technology. |
Before you hire
Six Things to Verify With Any Virtual Advisor
The same checklist applies to Flames FP and to every other firm you consider. Primary sources are linked where they exist; links were checked on October 13, 2026.
Pricing basis
Ask how the fee is calculated: a percentage of assets, a flat fee, an hourly rate or commissions. Ask for the total in dollars for your situation, not just the rate.
Scope
Ask what is included and what is not: investment management, tax planning, tax-return preparation, retirement income, estate coordination and ongoing meetings.
Compensation
Ask how the firm and the individual are paid, and whether either earns more from recommending particular products. Ask for the answer in writing.
Fiduciary status
Ask whether the advisor acts as a fiduciary and in which services. The firm's Form ADV describes its obligations and conflicts of interest.
Credentials
Ask which credentials the advisor holds and confirm them with the organization that issues them. A credential describes training and conduct standards. It does not predict results.
Service location
Ask whether the firm is registered, or exempt, in your state. The SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site lists registration, fee disclosures and any disciplinary history.
Where we work
Minnesota Roots, Nationwide Reach
The Minnesota pages stay as they are. These pages carry the same approach to the rest of the country.
Minnesota
Where Flames FP is based. State income, retirement-income and estate tax rules, with the source beside each figure.
Every state and city we serve
State-by-state tax context with sources, and the city pages beneath each state. City pages describe service areas, not offices.
Retirement tax planning
Roth conversions, Medicare premiums, required distributions, withdrawal order and Social Security, coordinated under a flat quarterly fee.
High-income families
Coordinating taxes, benefits, investments and long-term goals for households with growing incomes and equity pay.
Watch and learn
Financial Planning, Explained Clearly
Start with three videos selected for this page, then use the controls to explore every published Flames FP video guide.
Videos 1–3 of 14
What Nobody Tells You About Earning $400K a Year
See why a $400K income can still leave too little investable margin and how taxes, lifestyle growth, and deliberate investing change the result.
The RSU Strategy Most $300K Tech Earners Miss
Understand taxation at vesting, check the withholding gap, and turn each RSU vest into a deliberate diversification and household-planning decision.
The 3-Account System for a $250K Income
Use cash reserves, tax-advantaged accounts, and a taxable brokerage account to turn a strong income into a repeatable wealth-building system.
The 6 Levels of Wealth for $200K+ Households
Use six stages to separate a high income from the wealth it actually creates.
The Most Underrated Retirement Account
How a taxable brokerage account can support retirement flexibility alongside tax-advantaged accounts.
How to Decrease Your Tax Bill
Review practical tax-planning decisions that can connect income, investments, retirement, and withholding.
Should You Invest or Spend Your HSA?
A practical framework for deciding how an HSA fits healthcare costs, taxes, and retirement planning.
Four Common Backdoor Roth IRA Mistakes
Understand contribution, conversion, pro-rata, and reporting mistakes before they create tax problems.
Direct Indexing vs ETFs in a Taxable Account
Compare diversification, tax management, cost, and complexity before changing an investment strategy.
My New Favorite Account to Gift Money to Kids and Grandkids
Compare the new child investment account with 529 plans, custodial accounts, Roth IRAs for earned income, and the family's actual goals.
Estate Planning Documents You May Need
A plain-English review of wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, beneficiaries, and trusts.
Flat Fee vs 1% Financial Advisor
See how a percentage fee changes in dollars as a portfolio grows and what to compare beyond the headline rate.
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
Think through income replacement, debt, children, childcare, education, and family risk.
Five Money Mistakes High Earners Make
Common coordination gaps involving taxes, cash flow, investments, insurance, and estate planning.
Common questions
Virtual Financial Advisor Questions
Do I need to live in Minnesota to work with Flames FP?
No. Flames FP is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and serves clients nationwide, virtually, where permitted. If you live outside Minnesota, mention your state when you book a discovery meeting so we can confirm we can serve you there.
How do virtual meetings and documents work?
Meetings happen by video, and documents are shared securely. The free Flames Financial Dashboard organizes net worth, cash flow, goals, debt, insurance and estate documents in one place.
Does virtual planning cost less than in-person planning?
Not necessarily. Fees depend on the advisor's fee model and what is included, not on whether meetings are virtual. Flames FP publishes flat quarterly pricing: Flames Planning is $900 per quarter and Flames Premier is $1,650 per quarter, with no AUM fee. Whichever advisor you consider, compare the total cost in dollars and what it includes.
Does Flames FP have offices outside Minnesota?
No. Flames FP is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. City and state pages on this site describe service areas and do not claim a local office.
How do I check a virtual advisor's registration?
Search the firm and the individual on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site at adviserinfo.sec.gov. It shows registration, services, fee disclosures and any disciplinary history. Investor.gov explains what else to ask. Do this for every advisor you consider.
Can estate documents and tax filing be handled virtually?
Wealth.com estate documents are included from day one in Planning and Premier. Flames FP facilitates the process but does not draft legal documents, and an attorney can review them. Eligible individual tax-return preparation and filing is available through an independent tax partner for Premier members who join by September 30 of the tax year.
Next step
Meet from wherever you are.
A discovery meeting covers where you are, what you pay for advice today in dollars, and whether a fixed quarterly membership fits the work ahead.
This page is educational and is not personalized tax, legal or investment advice. Advisory services are offered through Core Planning, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor, only where permitted. Learn more about Joel Miller, CFP® and about Flames FP.